Metal crosstie



M. v. GEARON METAL caossm: Filed oct. 2s, 1925 A' June 29 1926.

xNvENToR :f ZZLZ/.Gearon BY M 5.,

ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1926.

UNlTsn sTaTEs MICHAEL V. GEARON,

yor oIIICAGo, ILLINOIS.

METAL CROSSTIE.

Application filed October 25, 1925.

My invention relates to improvement-s in metal railroad ties, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

VAn object of my invention is to provide a metal cross tie for railroadswhichv has great strength and resiliency.

`A further object of my invention'is to provide a metal cross `tie whichcan be readily made by automatic machinery, thus rendering the deviceeconomical to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a metal tie havingspecial reinforcing means 'for that portion ci the tie just underneaththe rails.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointedoutin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part0I' this application, in which Figure 1 shows a development of the blankfrom which the tie is made,

Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of a complete tie, the rails and a.portion of the tie being shown, in section, Figure 3 is a perspectiveview showing one of the reinforcing members,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the tie, and

Figure 5 is a similar section at another point.

In carrying out my invention I make use 'of a single piece of sheetmetal, preferably sheet steel. Figure 1 shows the piece in its entirety.It will be observed that there are eight plane sections at one vend,these sections being indicated at 1 to 8 inclusive. The sections1 aredesigned to be bent along the dotted lines, such as those shown atl, 22,3a, etc. Sections 9, 10 and 11 are provided with corrugated portions, orportions stamped with a depression on one side and a corresponding ridgeon the other. Thus, in the section 9, the depressions are shown at 9".At 95', in the same section, are shown oblong ridges between thedepressions. The section 12 has a smooth surface, with the exception ofthe oblong ridges 121. The next three sections, 18, 14 and 15,respectively, are similar to the sections 9, 10V and 1.1 in that theyhave depressions, sach as Serial No. 64,878.

those'shown at 13x and oblong ridges, such asthose shown at 13y, whilethe last section 16 is similar to the section 12.

In forming the tie, the sections are bent along the dotted lines and arewrapped around in spiral form. Thus the first section 1, as viewed inFigure 1, would be bent on the line 1EL toward the rear of the plane ofthe paper. This would preferably be accomplished by placing it on amandril so as to wrap the sections one upon another. The first twolayers consisting of the eight sections would be plain. The next :toursections would give a section on each side, i. e.,

thersections 9 and 11, one on the bottom, section 10, Vwhile section 12would come on Vthe top, and further winding would bring section 18 intoregistration with section 9, section 14 into registration with section10, 15 with 11, and 16 with 12. The corrugations or depressions', asstated, would have ridges on the opposite sides ot the sections, andthese are so arranged as to cause the convex portions to enter theconcave portions 0Iy the overlapping sections so as to ycause thesections to be nested inthe manner shown'in Figures 4 and 5. InFigure 4,it will be seen that the ridges 15y register with the ridges 11y of thesection 11, while the depressions 15X register with the depressions 11x.In Figure 5, itl will be seen that the ridges 1Gy and-12y are nested.All of the sections 13, 14, 15 and 16 have extended flanges 13a, 14, 15aand 162L at each end. These flanges are turned under, as shown invFigure 4, and are held to the coiled sections by 'rivets 17. y Thecoiled sections are spot-welded together, thus rendering the tievirtually a unitary structure having great strength in proportion to itsweight.

In order to reinforce the tie at the portion thereof underneath therails, I provide a sheet metal coil 18, such as that shownin Figure 3.This is a single strip of metal having thel convolutions spaced apart.The sides of the coils are provided with bolt or rivet openings 18)I toreceive rivets 19 which pass through the body portion of the tie so asto hold the member 18 in positionunderneath the rail, see Figure 2.

The rails 2O are held to the tie referahly by means ci bolts 2]. whicpass n i litl its Weight. The sides being corrugated tend Y to add tothe rigidity of the tie soY as to prevent sagging or bulging due to thevWeight of theload on the rails. rlhe reinfor ing member 18 is so placedthatthe thrust is along the Walls of the reinforcing Vineinber, thusadd-ing to the rigidity of the device. rhe nesting of the corrugatedportions, including the ridges and depressions, maires the coils compactand at the saine tiniel gives rthein the necessary strength to carry outthe purpose intended When the flange portions 13%, le?, etc, are turnedunder, they firnil-y bind all ofthe sections together. f

A nietal` tie, such as that described, inay be inad'e to lit anyrailor-raii fastening, since' holes can -bc bored in the walls of thetie at any point',l and boltsorother suit.- ablejfastening devices maybe passed therethrough, asshoivn at 2l in Figure 2. j

l ein awareV that metal ties inade of sheet coiled instal' portions havebeen used be-V fore. Such construction,appears in the patent to 5;.Gearon Sr., 963,542 of July 5, 1910.

In this-patent, however, it, was, necessary to e reinforce the tie withballast, filling Within the; interiorvof the tie.v The,present tie,heweveryis an improvement .in that it re- `quires noballast fillingdueto the corrugated forifnl ofv the tiey itself and the reinforcenient.

lt lieing plainly apparent that a variety of corriigations anddepressions of different patterns can be stamped or fabricatedl insheets of metall and the said sheets used to forni a tie by Wrapping,registering, nesting and Welding suoli. Stich. sheetsgtogether in a tieformingniandril and` folding, lap

ping and riveting theni in such form, Ik

vvishto have it known that this invention covers the use of any patternof depression or, corriigation that may be, found advantageous to use inits construction either before g j y 1,590,235

`orl after the sheet is thus Wrapped, folded and lapped into the forniof a tie.

I claim:

l. A metal cross tie constructed of a single piece of sheet metalhaving` ysections coiled to forniy aplurality of layers, the layers ofcertain sections having corrugations adapted to nest Within similarcorrugations of adjacent sections, and means for binding the overlapping'sections together.

2. A nietal cross tie comprising a single sheet of nietalzfolded into aplurality of sections to forni a hollow structure'having a pluralityoflayers, certai-n of the sections having conrngations arranged to nestWith the corrugations of adjacentI overlapping sections, end' fiangescarried by the oiiter'sections and being bentv over the ends of the nnersections, and ineans for securing the bent-oever flanges to the innersections,

3, A railroad cross tie comprising asingle sheet of instal havingsections Yfolded over one another, said sections being Welded togetherto forni a hollow body portion and certain sections having nestedcorrugations,

andi reinforcingnieinbers disposedl Withiny the interior of the tie,said reinforcing ineinbers comprising coiled metal sheets secured to thewalls of the tie, certain of the Walls of the reinforcing sheets beingdisposed transversely With respect to the layers forining the ti'e bodyportion, whereby thel Weight of the load is transmitted through theplanes of the transversely disposed. Wal-ls.

4. A railroad cross tie comprising sheets of inetal havin-g `a pluralityof Y.sections folded together to forni a hollowl body portion, ineansfor securing said folded .sec-

tions together, reinforcing members disposed vvithin. the tie underneaththe i-'ail-bearing area, said reinforcing nien'ibers consisting of asingle sheet of metal arranged-in rectanguiar-shaped coils, certainwalls of said rectangular-shaped coils being disposed transversely withrespect to the Walls of the main body portion, and rail securing membersApassing througlithe rails and having their lower portions disposedWithin the` innerinost convolution of said reinforcing ineinber.

MicintnL v. enanos.

